When Li Menglan and Old Master Zhao returned to the place where her father, younger maternal uncle, and two elder brothers were picking chestnuts, Li Dazhu and Zhang Wenli were sitting off to the side resting, while Li Zhiming and Li Zhihao were busy stuffing chestnuts into sacks.
Although Li Menglan had never intended to hide the matter of sugar-roasted chestnuts, there were too many monks and too little gruel; Crooked Neck Mountain was only so big, and there were only so few chestnut trees; Shangliang Village had so many people... It was no wonder Li Menglan was being selfish.
Li Menglan had read many novels by Qiong Yao, in which there were plenty of delicate pure heroines and saints; she did not object to being a saint herself, but the prerequisite was... she had to solve her own family’s food and warmth problems first before talking about whether to be a saint or not.
“Dad, Little Uncle, hurry over and help Grandpa Zhao!” Li Menglan shouted at the top of her lungs from afar.
Li Dazhu and Zhang Wenli turned their heads and naturally saw the two large wild boars that Old Master Zhao was dragging along. “Girl, this... how did the two of you get such huge boars?” Li Dazhu asked, tongue-tied.
“Goodness... this... isn’t this at least several hundred jin?” At the sight of Old Master Zhao, Zhang Wenli’s eyes shone with excitement and adoration. “Uncle Zhao, did you hunt these all by yourself? You really are something else.” Zhang Wenli gave Old Master Zhao a vigorous thumbs-up and showered him with praise.
The Li and Zhang families no longer treated Old Master Zhao and Zhao Qingyun as guests; they addressed them as uncles, just like ordinary relatives.
“Naturally. Back in the day, this old man once killed a tiger with his bare hands.” Praised by Zhang Wenli, Old Master Zhao immediately began reminiscing about the old days again.
“Grandpa Zhao...” Li Menglan pouted in anger.
*Cough cough cough...* Old Master Zhao smiled awkwardly. “Hehe... slip of the tongue... slip of the tongue! Lan girl, you mustn’t get angry or unhappy.”
For the sake of good food... for the sake of his future cravings, Old Master Zhao was completely obedient to Li Menglan. There was no helping it... who asked her to be the boss?
“Girl, how are we going to get two such huge boars back home?” Li Dazhu asked with a troubled expression.
“Dad, don’t worry.” Li Menglan had already discussed it with Old Master Zhao on the way. They planned to first carry the two boars out a ways; then she and Old Master Zhao would stand guard, while Li Dazhu, Zhang Wenli, and the two brothers Li Zhiming would first carry the chestnuts home, then go to the village and call for a group of people to help carry the boars back together.
Naturally, Li Dazhu, Zhang Wenli, and the others had no objections to Li Menglan’s proposal—nor was there any reason to object.
Thus, the six members of the Li family divided into two groups. Li Dazhu, Zhang Wenli... the four of them would first carry the chestnuts home and call for help, while Li Menglan and Old Master Zhao would remain on the mountain to guard the boars.
While it was still early, Li Dazhu and the others hurriedly carried the chestnuts down the mountain. One couldn’t blame them for feeling anxious; although they knew Old Master Zhao was a capable man who could kill two large wild boars with his bare hands, leaving this old man and young girl deep in the mountains... whether it was Li Dazhu or Zhang Wenli!
Or... the two brothers Li Zhiming and Li Zhihao, none of them felt at ease leaving the old and young alone in the deep mountains.
“Dad, don’t forget to invite the village butcher back home while you’re at it; tell Mom, Grandma, and Grandma to boil more hot water!” Li Menglan yelled at the top of her voice behind Li Dazhu.
“Don’t worry, girl, Dad knows.” Li Dazhu waved his hand.
When the sky was almost completely dark, Li Dazhu, Zhang Wenli, Li Zhiming, and Li Zhihao arrived in a hurry, bringing Wang Tiezhu, Wang Tongzhu, Wang Tongtou, and Uncle Laocheng with them.
“Girl, you take Grandpa Zhao home first; your dad and little uncle are here!” Li Dazhu was worried that the mountain path would be difficult to traverse after dark. Old Master Zhao was someone of such esteemed stature... it wouldn’t be good if he stumbled or bumped into something.
Li Menglan thought that made sense; she could also go home first and prepare a meal for everyone. “Mm... Dad, you and Uncle Wang and the others be careful; the path is hard to walk after dark.”
“Haha... Lan girl, don’t you worry. This old Uncle Wang could walk out of Crooked Neck Mountain with his eyes closed.” Wang Tiezhu laughed heartily as he waved his hand.
“Exactly.”
“You bet... when we were young, us brothers came to Crooked Neck Mountain plenty of times.”
“Mm... Dad, then Grandpa Zhao and I will head down the mountain first.” Li Menglan nodded with a smile, then uneasily instructed her two elder brothers: “Big Brother, Second Brother, Uncle Laocheng is getting on in years; you must take good care of him. I’ll head home first and cook something delicious for everyone.”
“Don’t worry, little sister!” Li Zhiming, the eldest brother of the Li family, nodded.
“Sister, don’t forget to make some spicy and sour pork intestines.” These words naturally came from Li Menglan’s gluttonous second brother.
“Alright... not just spicy and sour pork intestines, but also mouth-watering fish, red braised pork...” Li Menglan smiled and listed several of Li Zhihao’s favorite dishes.
“Dad, Sister and Grandpa Zhao have already left; let’s hurry too! Otherwise, we really won’t be able to see the path soon.” Li Zhihao swallowed his saliva, tempted by Li Menglan’s words, and hastily urged his father.
“You got it!”
Old and young, Li Menglan and Old Master Zhao walked hand-in-hand down Crooked Neck Mountain. From afar, they could still hear the conversation behind them.
“Goodness gracious... these two boars must be four or five hundred jin, right! Good heavens...” From the sound of it, this was Uncle Laocheng’s voice of astonishment.
“Probably even more...”
“Brother Dazhu, did Old Master Zhao really kill these with his bare hands all by himself?” Wang Tongtou, being younger and unable to restrain himself, asked with some doubt.
Li Dazhu’s reply was unclear to Li Menglan and Old Master Zhao due to the distance, but Wang Tongtou’s question... Old Master Zhao heard it loud and clear.
“Lan girl, does this old man of mine look like someone who tells lies or talks big?” Old Master Zhao complained angrily to Li Menglan as they walked.
“Hehe... Grandpa Zhao, don’t be mad. If they don’t know your capabilities, how could Lan’er not know? Don’t forget... Lan’er was right by your side at the time, witnessing the entire process of you hunting those two boars with my own eyes; on this point, Lan’er can testify for you, Grandpa Zhao.”
Looking at Old Master Zhao throwing a tantrum like a child, Li Menglan quickly spoke to comfort him.
“Mm... still, Lan girl, you’re the most considerate and treat this old man the best.” Old Master Zhao suddenly said with emotion. Sigh... why hadn’t his own son and daughter-in-law given him such a well-behaved and clever granddaughter?
“Haha... who told Grandpa Zhao that your age is too deceiving?” Li Menglan said, her brows and eyes curving into smiles.
Uh... indeed, who would believe that a white-haired old man could kill two wild boars with his bare hands? So as they say, seeing is not always believing!